BOWS & ARROWS

Posted here because many of you have asked me to do so: Enjoy

Do you feel life is so bad it couldn’t get worse?? Life seemingly going backwards-ever-forwards-recently-never? I do. And when I saw this poster I laughed out loud because it hit the proverbial nail on the head! I am so so that arrow! And as I laughed I wondered how did the artist compare himself with – of all things - an arrow?

…. For those of you who watch those lovely historical movies, we know that arrows are placed in a quiver, that ‘item’ that hangs on an archers back like a backpack and held there by a shoulder strap. When an arrow is required, its’ pulled out of the quiver and placed in the bow, pulled back, then released…. if the archer is good, then the arrow will hit its target spot on, if the archer is useless, then, well, it’s a matter of luck and fate on whether it will ever hit the intended objective.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve had misfortune mocking my every move like a mime- everything I touched turned into dust and black ash mpaka I reached that point where I was so discouraged I sat back and crossed my arms like a sullen child who won’t do the task set in front of him, and began a conversation with God:

Dude, what’s up?? Thought I’d done this before, huh, infact, I have! Been there, worn this t-shirt, made the cheap music video and put it on YouTube, so what am I doing here AGAIN?

Familiar? What about that powerless feeling that attaches itself to your limbs and whispers that you’re not in control of the situation and you’re helpless to stop it?

The one good thing about my misfortunes is that I don’t place my life in the hands of that hot and good-looking charming hunk called Luck, neither do I rely on Lucks’ companion - that equally beautiful but fickle Lady Fate.

Rather,  I am an arrow in the quiver of God.

Are you? If you’ve answered yes, that means that basically you’re walking around on His back going where He’s leading – kul stuff. For now let’s not get into what we’re actually doing in that quiver coz that’s a whole other story of the nonsense we sometimes get up to in this maisha, so the focus here is that we’re IN.

Game set.

…. Then God pulls us out of our comfort zone.

The arrow is pulled out of the quiver…

Some life changes are sudden shocking disasters. Maybe yours was a graceful drawback. Ama baado. BTW, get the movie UP and watch the first 15 minutes – it’s … interesting - yah, just go buy or borrow…. It’s an animation, not for kids really, but for you. I am not digressing, not at all, the story UP is a clip of human life. But getting back to being an arrow - you’re outside the comfort zone plus now your life is becomes brutally difficult. Dreams fading, reality hitting, age approaching speed limit numbers, still single, the economy rising, is that the landlord calling me AGAIN?? kids fees required, News is always nasty, health suddenly worsening, the Ex shows up, why is my fridge empty?? and on Sunday when you need an answer guess what - (sorry dude) you’ve heard that same sermon 200 times (they just switch the words and paragraphs around* join my church) ….so, you begin to talk to yourself irritably amid bouts of sullen behavior and mood swings that make people wonder if you’re off your medication..

That’s God pulling the bow back.

Show No Fear.

Feeling immensely and highly strung out is putting it mildly when I try to describe  where I sometimes am, mentally stretched to the limit of my resources and liable to snap anytime - and maybe you are too, right there on the edge of release -   that’s the ‘If I wasn’t a Believer I’d get soooo drunk right now – where is the corner drug dealer I NEED A FIX – I’m packing and leaving RIGHT NOW’ – on edge release. Deep stuff. Take a deep breath. Show No Fear. Instead of the above, RELAX.

Because if an arrow could speak, it would probably talk of a million fears of the unknown… when it’s pulled back on a highly strung bow - and of the importance of relaxing in preparation of the flight ahead and the knowledge that our dreams of a future are secure.

Because when God shoots His arrows, they usually land Right on the intended mark.

© NYAKIO MUNYINYI OKALLO SEPTEMBER 2012